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Technical support and encouragement from Voltimum manufacturing partner ABB is helping a major switchgear manufacturer to develop its panel products into new markets in various ways. By James Hunt:
To help it meet new business opportunities, ABB (http://www.abb.com) is supporting Boulting Technology (http://www.boultingtechnology.co.uk) to integrate ABB’s Emax 2 circuit breaker into its new range of future-proofed switchboards. These panel products will help the panel builder and leading UK manufacturer of electrical control systems move into the market for low voltage (LV) electrical switchboards having a fault rating of up to 100 kA.
This is different from the output of the majority of panel builders, which trend to focus on switchboards rated at 50 to 80 kA. Such switchboards are typically used in applications including building services, industrial premises, utilities and other industries.
However, with ABB’s help, Boulting is growing its capabilities to providing switchboards with current rating of 6300 A and 100 kA so that it can now deliver power distribution boards for facilities that consume larger quantities of power at low voltage. Typical examples include data centres and the oil and gas industry and represent new markets for the company.
Boulting says that it launched its new switchboards, which incorporate new technical approaches, to help its customers integrate renewable energy systems - such as solar photovoltaic (PV) panels or wind turbines. However, the company also says that that recent building and industrial automation developments mean that its customers increasingly need switchboards having higher energy efficiency, safety and flexibility.
Latest standards compliance
The development is timely, because the IEC 61439 standard for LV switchgear and control panel assemblies superseded the previous 60439 standard in November 2014.
The new standard was introduced in 2010 with a four-year transition period. It includes significant changes to its predecessor, such as a split in responsibilities between the manufacturer of the overall panels and the OEMs, as well as verification and testing of switchgear assembly changes.
Electrical design engineers, contractors and consultants must, therefore, now ensure that their switchboards are compliant, and this is where Boulting’s new switchboard designs will help operators to future-proof their power distribution systems.
Technological advances and type testing support
The development is also timely because of the improvement in circuit breaker technology introduced by ABB in the form of the Emax 2 circuit breaker in 2014. This, launched in response to calls for higher levels of performance and functionality, is the reason why Boulting asked ABB for support. By adopting the latest generation in circuit breaker technology, the new switchboards will have a long lifetime.
Emax 2 comes four frame sizes that are up to 25% smaller in footprint and overall volume than comparable circuit breakers. This means that more functionality can be built into smaller spaces, freeing up room for other revenue-generating services or allowing switchboards to fit into compact cabinets. Furthermore, the Emax 2 is compatible with the seven most common communications protocols, including IEC 61850 smart grid communication: Modbus, Profibus, Devicenet, Modbus TCP, Profinet and Ethernet IP. Still more functionality includes enhanced communication, measurement, intelligence and the option of generator protection.
These, and other factors, which include ABB’s important type testing support, offer important benefits to Boulting Technology and its customers, the company claims.
During the project, ABB supplied all four sizes of the Emax 2 to Boulting’s partner and manufacturer of enclosures Rolla, which created the enclosures and busbars and installed the circuit breakers. ABB also provided support during the type testing process, during which panels are tested against IEC 61439 to ensure that they are capable of performing safely under fault conditions.
Working together with Boulting and Rolla has meant that ABB’s customers have access to IEC 61439 certified switchboards to control the flow of power distribution in a future-proofed way.